Well, i start to show you some good items that i have find on Skra the last 2 weeks

Image1 (well here i have a M16 German Helmet of German positions on Skra di Legen)

Image2 (Here some Bulgarian bullets of Styer Mannlicher 8mm and 5 on their clip m/95 Styer Mannlicher, and some French Lebel 8mm Bullets that used by Greeks and French army on Skra war, the relic on the right it is a pincir of German Stick Grenade)

Image3 (A German-Bulgarian ammo box)

Image4 (A French Figure 28 shell bomb 155mm)

Image5 (A German stick grenade that used by the Boulgarian troopers)

Image6 (Many many French Lebel 8mm bulets with some relics of their ammo box)

Sorry my friend, but digging up explosives is a highly irresponsible thing to do.And digging up human remains: that's up to the official authorities. People died there, and many are still missing. Human remains are not souvenirs.

Sorry my friend, but digging up explosives is a highly irresponsible thing to do.And digging up human remains: that's up to the official authorities. People died there, and many are still missing. Human remains are not souvenirs.

regards, Kieffer

Thanks Kieffer...I didn´t want to put it like that but that exactly my sentiments as well. That´s someones relative there and as far as I know it is an offence virtually everywhere to remove human remains and or explosives.

because the Bulgarian soldiers take burried inside the trenches after the Greek victory, and the dead French and Greek soldiers where buried on cemetery out of Skra Village, i have found many more bones of dead Bulgarian soldiers with their dog tags

why am i crazy? why you say that? it is just a hobby that i love it, Excavation on battlefields is a global hobby, go search on youtube "excavation on battlefields" and you see, i dont see anything crazy..

Well, I am deeply worried. It's a pity the government can't excavate and preserve the place in some way and create some sort of memorial. Although I don't suppose the funds are available in Greece at the moment.

But all that ordnance! The rule is - don't touch anything. People still get killed in France and Belgium. On top of which, archaeologists use a soft paintbrush, not a bloody mattock. I fear for your continued existence, Gary. Really.

-- Edited by James H on Tuesday 25th of January 2011 08:39:14 PM

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"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.

Well, I am deeply worried. It's a pity the government can't excavate and preserve the place in some way and create some sort of memorial. Although I don't suppose the funds are available in Greece at the moment.

But all that ordnance! The rule is - don't touch anything. People still get killed in France and Belgium. On top of which, archaeologists use a soft paintbrush, not a bloody mattock. I fear for your continued existence, Gary. Really.

-- Edited by James H on Tuesday 25th of January 2011 08:39:14 PM

Dear friend James, the govement has build memory statues inside the Skra Village as you can see my video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W92IFAhDX4c

however, i have make memory statues on the battlefields and on the trenches, now for that you say about the dengerus relics, i know everything about millitary and special shell and exploding items, like grenades shells fragremments and others, as about the denger they have yees, we have lost villagers from exploting shells because the places have so so much unexploding shells on the forest, even and the roads, the war on skra grounds and mountais was big, 3 years exacly, but i have the experience, thank you for your interest

It's always the same two stories: "I know everything about grenades and bombs, and about how dangerous they are but I have all the expertise so don't worry".Well, it's your life you put at stake and one can only hope you don't hurt or kill somebody in the vicinity when things go wrong.And that other story, "I dig up human remains out of respect for those who died etc":Imagine your grand father is missing somewhere in Flanders or France. And some enthousiast with his metal detector and pick axe is shoveling around, and is showing pictures like "this is a foot of a French soldier and I also found a lot of dog tags, and I buried the bones near the trench with a cross on top", that is simply not decent.I am sorry to put it like this and you might feel offended, but that's my opinion on the matter.

it's different that i say from that you have all understand, it is not bad to excavating on battlefields and find items from heroic battles, and skeletos that belong on soldiers that their fammilys never see them again, i have a grandfather HERO he was fight on Greek-Italian war ww2, and kill many enemies, come back with medals, and he died too old 84 years old arround his fammily, my hobby has not causal with any abusive against the faces that died on those battlefields, btw, we have departed from the post

It is good to have our attention turned towards Skra di Legen, a battlefield too often overlooked.

Now what to make of your activities.

My great-grandfather has been missing in action since 1916. That had an impact on my own life.

Do I want him to be found and to have a known grave? Heck yes! However I would imagine that to be accomplished by the authorities and scientists, such as here:http://www.nps.gov/history/mwac/libi/excavations.html orhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fromelles_%28Pheasant_Wood%29_Military_Cemetery.

I would feel better thinking of you joining the professionals and placing your talents at their disposal in order to get things done in a decent way. It would also make work safer for you. Regards, Pat

Skra di Legen covers a large area and to think of people walking about in the area with no knowledge of what they may be treading on is a frightening prospect. So for Gary to be carrying out his excavations and removing these potentially lethal items can only be seen as a good thing. The nature of the ground, as shown in his video, lends itself to the use of a mattock but it also shows other tools such as scraper and paintbrush being used. How many of those who fell in France and Flanders were initially found buy the ploughs of local farmers etc. As long as he puts his military training to good use I think we should give him some support and encourage him to continue until the Hellenic Culture Organization takes on this monumental task. Just my thoughts on the matter Paul

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The finest stories of the Great War are those that will never be told.

The nature of the ground, as shown in his video, lends itself to the use of a mattock but it also shows other tools such as scraper and paintbrush being used. How many of those who fell in France and Flanders were initially found buy the ploughs of local farmers etc.

The difference is, Paul, that these farmers are working their fields and not digging for war relics. Many accidents happened, people mutilated or even worse, killed. Believe me, and I don't like to put personal things into the discussion but I knew and have seen these people were I grew up, and I can tell you that makes you see these digging activities rather sceptical, to put it mildly.

As long as he puts his military training to good use I think we should give him some support and encourage

Many members here have a military past, some are even on active duty. That doesn't make one automatically an expert. I can assure that the real experts like the Dutch EOD and their Belgian collegues from DOVO certainly do not encourage these digging activities. When things really come to the matter and a shed or an attic of some hobbydigger has to be cleared of live explosives, the EOD and/or DOVO people can risk their lives.

Military training is one thing...not always a guarantee though...look at all the bombdisposal "experts" who have died in Afghanistan for instance..and they weren´t hacking about with a mattock but using very sophisticated equipment and backedup with a team. I would very much like to know wether such activities are legal...

Military training is one thing...not always a guarantee though...look at all the bombdisposal "experts" who have died in Afghanistan for instance..

Contemporary improvised explosive devices (often with intact command detonation provision) and the site of an old conventional battlefield are two very different things, trust me. Mind you, I'm happy not to be involved in either. Those "special" shells Gary mentioned would, I imagine (since there were fortifications to be taken), include TNP/picric acid which can be very tricky if the shell casing is compromised over a long period.

It is, indeed, a risky thing to be doing but the area has to be made safe sometime - if the local authorities are appropriately involved then perhaps the best we can do is keep our fingers crossed on Gary's behalf. Or light a candle or two to St. Barbara.

thank you all about your words and concern, well paul im careful as i can :)

LincolnTanker i will doing this, soon. Now about what be happening with my finds, i put them on a warehouse until than make my library/museum, and Skra village mayor honour me for my elbow-grease

-- Edited by Gary on Thursday 27th of January 2011 07:03:51 PM

To be honest anyone who knowingly digs around in areas where there are explosives should know the risks and if anything happens then that is their choice to do so. (I do not mean people who do this as a job or career)If it´s legal and above board then all I can say is, Gary..take care..it would be silly to get maimed or killed for a hobby, no matter how much praise and honour those who do not do it heap on you.

thank you all about your words and concern, well paul im careful as i can :)

LincolnTanker i will doing this, soon. Now about what be happening with my finds, i put them on a warehouse until than make my library/museum, and Skra village mayor honour me for my elbow-grease

-- Edited by Gary on Thursday 27th of January 2011 07:03:51 PM

To be honest anyone who knowingly digs around in areas where there are explosives should know the risks and if anything happens then that is their choice to do so. (I do not mean people who do this as a job or career)If it´s legal and above board then all I can say is, Gary..take care..it would be silly to get maimed or killed for a hobby, no matter how much praise and honour those who do not do it heap on you.

-- Edited by Paul H on Friday 28th of January 2011 08:33:19 PM

thank you i know, well i must say something about the danger on this hobby, it's most danger well you cleaning one grenade, than you get her from the ground, but all of the grenades that i have find, are deactivate, and only one is activate, the dangerus items on Skra are the shells, bombs you know, but i dont take them, i dont care about anything like that, have many many shells on skra. As i say i dont found and care about exposing items, except deactivate grenades, i only excavating for bayonets helmets guns and personal items from soldiers, and i know what be under the ground, because my metal dedector have great Metal Dichotomic on his system

It might behoove you chaps to go a bit easier on Gary and his hobby; Balkan peoples are historically a tough lot. I should think you would want to avoid appearing as a timid bunch of cross-knee sitting, umbrella carrying sissies

To you Gary, I would suggest gathering as many collectibles as possible while still in possession of all your limbs & vision.

Think i would agree, the points about war graves etc have been well and truely made, and these things do differ in other countries. Gary sounds like he is well aware of the dangers, after all he says local villagers have been injured in the past, so he knows the risk. I wouldn't do it but then my local area doesnt have the problem of burried munitions laying abouit. It's clearly a problem there and if nobody else will clear it then i wish Gary all the best and trust he stays safe. Hopefully some of these items can be made safe and then displayed in a local museum, that would be a fitting outcome of his endeavors. In the meantime Gary if you foind anything intereting post the pics, it will be intersting to see waht you find, but maybe leave the bones alone

It might behoove you chaps to go a bit easier on Gary and his hobby; Balkan peoples are historically a tough lot. I should think you would want to avoid appearing as a timid bunch of cross-knee sitting, umbrella carrying sissies

To you Gary, I would suggest gathering as many collectibles as possible while still in possession of all your limbs & vision.

No umbrella and the amount of explosives I have dealt with..no sissy sitting cross legged or standing either. I was ;1 concerned with the legality2 concerned about gary´s and others health

It wasn't my intention neither to give Gary a rough time. I might have been too harsh and may be I triggered this discussion by posting my statement, therefore I do apologise.But, bottom line is: one shouldn't dig up explosives. Last victim on the list is a 27year young man, killed just a few days ago, in The Netherlands. Busy with defusing a ww2 projectile in his uncles garage. Apparantly a collector, and I heard that he was a professional soldier...(I am not making that up, just google 'Hedel, bom, dodelijk ongeval', it's all in Dutch but the pictures are already clear enough).Now, Gary states later on that he's merely interested in non explosive items and not after bombs etc. We're a bit mislead then I guess, after seeing pictures with quite a few hand grenades and an artillery shell.I do not want to hold a sermon again and I am not mr. Morality either. If Gary wants to enjoy his hobby, that's up to him. But I do not think one should encourage enthusiasts digging on battle fields, even if there might be a historical interest.For the legal question still unanswered: I do not know the situation in Gary's homeland but in the Low Countries and France it's forbidden as long one doesn't have a permission. Law is a bit complicated and differs per regio, but digging up and possessing explosives is unlegal there.

Hi gary
I fieldwalk in battlefields and pick up bits and bobs including live stuff which I leave ready for the French mod to dispose of, relic hunting is a very enjoyable hobby and it's only as dangerous as you allow it to be, Its probably more dangerous to drive to the battlefield than it is to hunt for relics. As for bones etc as long as they are treated with respect what harm does it do to reburry them and say a few words, chances are when they first entered the earth these poor souls did so with no dignity what so ever.